Last Chance For
by veraklon
Summary: Alternate Universe Haley Potter, a female version of Harry, is taken away from Hogwarts after the TriWizard Tournament. Upon her return over a year later, everyone must deal with the new Girl Who Lived. Who will stay and who will go in the end?


AUTHOR'S NOTES: Yes, I know… starting another story. Sorry. Just can't get this idea out of my head. I can't promise a lot of updates on a regular basis, but we'll see if we can't get things moving along. My SO gave me this idea after watching a program on the History Channel and then seeing that there were other female/Harry stories out there.

This fic starts at the end of fourth year but then will jump forward, so I can't say one way or another if I will include a lot of DH or not. Let's just see how it plays out. Either way, there will be one or two small, tiny spoilers in the first chapter… but nothing so much that wasn't already guessed at in other fics.

APOLOGY: I have a brand new laptop. Desktop went bye-bye. Learning to type is going to take some time.

DISCLAIMER: All is owned by JKR.

SETUP: James and Lily Potter had a girl: Haley Joan Potter… the Girl-Who-Lived. Much of the previous books remain canon but for the small change of gender. Glaring changes will be seen in either flashbacks or discussed between characters.

Oh, yeah… Snape is redeemed in this one. Sorry if that offends.

…oooOOOooo…

CHAPTER ONE – FORGIVENESS

3:42 AM

June 25, 1995

Headmaster's Office

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

Albus Dumbledore, possibly considered the greatest wizard since the Great Merlin himself and bearer of too many titles to name outright, felt the full weight of his one hundred fifty plus years at the moment. What was to have been a beacon of cooperation and a way of pulling the wizarding world together in these dark times had failed. Tragedy had struck… and struck harder than he felt many could take.

The Tri-Wizard Tournament had ended in the tragic death of one of the more promising students that had graced the school in some time. The parents of Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff had left only an hour or so before, their hopes and dreams crushed as a result of their only child's chance for glory… their celebration leading only to a burial. Even as he pondered how Amos was going to go on, many of the staff of Hogwarts was counseling the students, the overall euphoria that had filled the school had been transformed into mourning.

The visiting schools, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, were screaming of illegal favoritism and of tampering. The second Hogwarts champion had ruffled many feathers… but with the idea that Krum had been forcibly controlled by an English professor, as well as having the French champion attacked… It was just too much. There were screams of an international inquiry. Any progress that Dumbledore had hoped to gather in the spirit of joining together was quickly fading.

The Headmaster of Hogwarts shook his head silently. To make matters worse, the visiting Minister, Cornelius Fudge, had quickly executed a spy of the newly resurrected Dark Lord: Barty Crouch, Jr.'s soul having been ripped from his body by a Dementor. Any chance of learning more about what was to come now lost, leaving any opportunity of answering the hard questions being asked as nothing more than wishes cast to the wind. How the Death Eater had so perfectly insinuated himself into a teaching position and manipulated events that had culminated in tonight's horrors, all lost because one cowardly politician refused to face the facts.

And that Crouch had almost gotten away with his deception!

Worst of all, however, was the other student that had been hurt so badly in the encounter with Voldemort. Haley Potter, a lone witch in this sad tale that was forced to endure so much, kept currently in the school infirmary. Her exposure… possibly something so much more horrific than anything else that she had yet endured, leading to a possible mental break. And that if she did break, lost, it would lead to all of the planning and maneuvering being moot and the eventual success of the darkness conquering the light. The world needed Miss Potter.

Even now, the young woman had saved the day by refusing to leave the Pitch outside after her return with Cedric's body. Her reaction to the man… any man, actually, alerting Sprout and McGonagall to the idea that not all was right with Alastor Moody, the professor that Crouch had been pretending to be.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, the elderly wizard leaned forward. Resting his elbows on his desk, ignoring the parchments and assorted books that covered the scarred wood, he forced himself to ready to intrude into the plight of the professor that sat across from him. What Severus Snape had to tell him he had yet to learn. No. Since returning from the most evil of ceremonies, the Potions Master had done nothing else but sob like a broken man… something that he himself had not seen in nearly seventeen years.

It came as no surprise that both times, seventeen years past and now, concerned a young woman with green eyes.

"Severus." He broke into the silence. When it became apparent that there was not going to be a response, Dumbledore spoke again. "Severus. I need to know what happened."

The Slytherin Head of House lifted his gaze to meet the Headmaster's. From the look of utter despair on the former Death Eater's face, Albus knew that the tale was not going to be one he would like. Steeling himself as best he could, he tried to encourage the younger man to speak. "I need for you to report."

Albus couldn't help but swell in pride as he watched the dark-haired man slowly pulled himself together. He chose to ignore the harsh redness of the man's eyes, as well as to make no mention of the tear stained cheeks. The man seemed like he rested on the very edge of the cliff… a cliff that Haley Potter also danced along.

"What happened?"

Snape made no move to wipe at his eyes. "A-as you remember, I requested to l-l-leave when I felt the Dark Lord's call." At his nod, Snape continued. "I arrived to find the… H-him standing there, the ritual completed."

"Tom was whole again? A true resurrection?"

"N-not entirely." Snape took a heavy breath. "He… he's different. More monstrous. There must have been some mispronunciation of the spell. Maybe a flawed ingredient in the potion itself. H-he's partially a snake now."

Part snake? An interesting development, to say the very least. Tom Riddle had always carried himself proudly… his natural charisma and charm drawing many followers. Perhaps fate had tried to balance some of the horrors of the night by stealing away even more of the humanity that remained to the former student.

Albus waited for the man to continue, but the Potion Master's gaze was lost to a memory. Hating himself for having to push, he tried to choose his words carefully. "I need to know, Severus. Time is of the utmost importance. Miss Potter needs…"

"Don't you dare!" Snape was suddenly standing, looming over the desk, his dark eyes flashing in rage. "I have pledged myself to your cause… supported you in the various dances you forced others to jump to, but by Morganna and Circe, you will not pull her… her… goddess, no…"

As the man seemed to suddenly lose his ability to stand, Dumbledore watched as the most feared professor since Headmaster Black fell back into the chair, sobbing. As he stood to move to the other man, he felt his own demeanor begin to crack as he listened to Severus' pleading for Lily's forgiveness… for his failure.

"I must know, Severus." He whispered.

His face flushed, Severus glared at the Headmaster. There was no doubt at that moment that any further push would result in hexes being cast.

"She was raped, Albus." His voice was a harsh parody of calm. "Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken. Peter Pettigrew stole her virginity, allowing for the purity of her maidenhead ripped from her to be used as the final ingredient."

The Headmaster wiped at the tears that blurred his vision, never to know when they had started. He had feared it would be something, but there had been prayers that nothing to such a degree.

He had truly failed. "But she made it away…?"

His ally in all that he planned was shaking his head. "That sniveling little rodent was bragging, laughing with the others… Malfoy and Nott, Goyle. So many others, all called back to their master. Licking the blood from his fingers as he told them all… told me that we had all been promised a turn." Snape's voice broke. "I nearly started killing them all then…"

"Then what…?"

"Lily." Snape paused. "I don't know how, but as the Dark Lord tried to duel with her… her blood running down her legs, staining her robes… Lily came. Potter, too. And others. She was running, everyone laughing at her.

"James and Lily?" Albus interrupted. "Back from the dead? No. A spell of some sort, you must mean…"

Snape ignored him. "Everyone started firing hexes and curses at her. I t-took the chance, damned to the consequences. I cast the Cup to her. I couldn't bear her eyes. Lily's eyes."

As the man broke down again, Albus closed his eyes. Truly a dark night, but she had been saved... late, but she was safe now. "I must see to Miss Potter. See what, if anything, I can do."

Standing, Dumbledore walked past the chair were his confidant cried. As he opened the door, Snape spoke, though his voice was so soft there was no way to know if it had been meant for his ears or not.

"Please forgive me… forgive me… please forgive me this time…"

…oooOOOooo…

4:22 AM

June 25, 1995

Infirmary

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

It was every mother's worst nightmare.

Molly Weasley sat on the bed, her eyes refusing to leave the slumbering form of the girl she loved as her own, her hand lightly stroking the freshly washed mess of black hair. She still marveled at how in the right light, hints of red seemed to catch the eye, the idea that neither of her parents could stand for their child to not have some part of her their own colouring. The long strands were still wet; the poor child had almost refused to come out of the shower, the scalding water… as she seemed to beg for the water to cleanse her of the abuse she had suffered this night.

Haley Potter had been frantic upon finally being pulled into the infirmary, her eyes wild and her voice harsh from the screams. No one had understood at first, the men… her own sons and Hagrid, each trying to get her to calm down, each unknowingly adding to her trauma. Molly, herself, had not understood at first. So many people gathered around, all trying to find all of where she had been hurt… the blood.

Naturally, Poppy had realized it at first. The mediwitch was trained for such. Molly had almost died when the stern woman had demanded that every male leave the room, to wait outside of the infirmary, but even that had not been enough of a clue. No. It had only been when, after much whispered conversation, that Haley had asked for Molly to turn around and face away that she had even begun to glimpse at the shame in her surrogate daughter's eyes. From there it was all that Molly could do not to turn around and hug the girl to her, to never let her out of her sight again.

That it was this same girl, so strong before, that had saved Ginny from that horrible enchanted book. That had befriended Ron, helping to mould her youngest son towards the man he was to become. Haley Potter had saved her family… somehow bewitching all of them. It was this same girl that Molly had begun to dream of a day when she might marry her Ron, truly making her a part of the Weasley clan. But now, she seemed so weak. So like the little girl Molly had seen underneath so much strength.

Thankfully, Poppy had convinced Haley that she needed support, that no one would consider her to blame, to think any less of her.

Molly had been as gentle as ever in her life. Slow, deliberate movements, helping to get Haley out of those torn robes, using every inch of control not to gasp and stare at each bruise, every cut, all of them screaming at the violation that Haley had endured. Nothing but acceptance and love. It had been enough, as Haley had ever so slightly, moment by moment, relaxed and allowed the two women to care for her. Molly had talked to her, refusing to give her a chance to focus too long on the night, distracting the slip of a girl from Madam Pomfrey's wand waving.

She slept now thanks to a Sleeping Draught. Molly shook her head at the number of potions that had been required, but was thankful for each and every one of them. Haley had balked at first, but eventually succumbed to doing as she was told, though no one used even the barest hint of anything stern.

The shadows moved, alerting Molly to the mediwitch's approach, so it was no surprise when the other woman spoke. "Need something to drink?"

Molly wanted to laugh. The only alternative was to begin crying… and she wasn't sure that if she started the tears if she would ever be able to stop. Smiling, though never taking her gaze from Haley, she nodded. "Tea would be wonderful."

Pomfrey's voice responded. "Nothing stronger?"

"Merlin, yes! But not yet. Not until Haley is safe."

At her name being spoken aloud, the girl the two carefully guarded rolled over, her voice whimpering as she curled into a tighter ball. Molly seriously considered crying.

"I'm amazed that no one has tried to get in. We've been in here for hours."

Poppy chuckled without humour. "Minerva's outside the doors. Not the Headmaster, not even the Minister, is getting through until I give the okay. You might want to know that several children have been sent to their rooms under the threat of detention. Four of which belong to you."

Molly spared only a flicker of a glance at the gray-haired witch. "Ron, Ginny, Hermione and who else?"

"Well… five if you count Miss Granger. I was referring to the twins."

Nodding, the Weasley matriarch licked at her lips. "Any other time and I'd yell at them… out after curfew. I can't find it in my heart to scold them for their loyalty. Not tonight."

Still running her fingers through Haley's hair, Molly sighed. "Will she make it?"

"I've done all that I can for her physical well being." Poppy ran her wand over the sleeping form again. "Her bones are mending. The cuts are closing. She's had two Blood Replenishers." Her voice caught only for a moment. "The tearing has been repaired, though there is no way for her hymen to be replaced.

"And she's not pregnant."

Molly closed her eyes as she felt her heart stop for a moment. She had not even considered that avenue of horror. To be forced to bear the child of a rapist and a Death Eater.

"What will she do now?" Molly asked after too many moments of silence.

Poppy didn't answer immediately. For a minute, Molly thought the woman might not answer, but just as she started to fill the emptiness again, the mediwitch spoke. "I have no way of knowing. She's stronger than almost anyone else I have ever treated… but even this… this might be too much for even her. We've failed her on so many levels…"

"Yes, we have."

"But she has to know that there are so many here that love her. The professors and her friends."

Molly took a sip of the tea, the harsh bitterness barely registering at all. "No one special? A boyfriend?"

"Well…" Madam Pomfrey's voice shook. "You, of course, know that she and Ron went together for the Yule dance… though there was much talk that they both went after poor Mister Diggory turned Haley down. He having already asked Miss Chang…"

" But no one special."

"No." Poppy's hands shook as she tried to quietly put her cup down. "But I think that might be best. Too often I've seen couples… some truly in love, well… they couldn't handle anything like this."

Molly brushed her eyes. "Like this? No. There's never been anything like this."

"Do you think she'll forgive us?"

Molly smiled though it barely touched her eyes. The thought of losing her second daughter almost too much to truly consider. "I hope so."

…oooOOOooo…

4:59 AM

June 25, 1995

Empty Classroom

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

"I don't care, damnit!" Sirius Black nearly howled against his oldest friend. "I've got to see her… know she's okay…"

Remus Lupin ran both hands through his graying hair as he tried counting to twenty… again, to keep from shouting back. The argument was getting old. And truth be told, he wasn't really all that far from agreeing and having both of them make a go at getting Hagrid away from the door and letting them out into the corridor towards the infirmary. He hated being the good one…

"Padfoot… for the last time. You have to wait."

Sirius' eyes were wild. "I can't wait, Moony. I can't.

The werewolf spared only a quick look towards Hagrid, the half-giant standing silently in front of the door. The grizzled man's own look bordering between rage and hopelessness. Realizing that none of them were in a very good state of mind right now, Remus tried to once again bring the level of intensity within the room down to a reasonable level.

"Sirius… Sirius. She's got Molly and Poppy in with her right now. There are teachers guarding the door. Aurors are scattered throughout the hallways. Even if we could get you permission to go in, you'd get picked up the moment you showed your face. You…"

"I'd gladly go back…" His voice broke. "I'll go back to Azkaban. For her… anything."

Any response that he might have had to that particular revelation would never be known as Hagrid was suddenly moved and the door behind him opened. Sirius let out an excited "eep" as he quickly morphed into his dog form, the large Grim-like beast suddenly hiding behind a desk. Remus had his wand drawn and pointed at the door, his heart in his throat, until he finally caught sight of the long, graying beard of the Headmaster. With his wand arm slowly lowering, Remus looked to see both Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks, both Aurors, following in behind.

Remus allowed himself some small measure of hope to see the Order's leader. Surely he had some good news… but upon finally catching the older man's gaze, he felt any chance that he'd vainly grasped float away. That was only more confirmed by Dumbledore's opening statement.

"Time is of the utmost importance. So much we must get done and so little available to us. I must begin be begging your forgiveness, Sirius…" It was only by luck that there had been a chair resting behind him as Remus felt all strength leave his legs.

…oooOOOooo…

10: 15 AM

June 25, 1995

Minerva McGonagall's Office

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

The Transfiguration Professor and Deputy Headmistress tried to keep up her well earned reputation as a cold and aloof woman, holding in all of the heartbreak and shame she felt inside as she looked at the gathered students sitting in the chairs across from her. They were an assorted bunch: pranksters and prodigies. All marked different from the other students within the school only by their unwavering loyalty and devotion to the missing member of their group.

It had been a difficult decision. The very idea of further burdening their young minds and hearts with what was to happen… what was to come. In truth, for all of her bravado to the contrary, she had fought for full disclosure to Miss Potter's friends. Albus had, as usual, wanted to play it all close to the vest, to keep anyone not immediately involved out. He used words like "secret" and "greater good" and a few others, but in the end… she had won. Unfortunately, that victory had resulted in what she was forced to do now.

Now, if only she could get them to accept what she had to say.

Pausing to collect her thoughts, Minerva studied the students in front of her: Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Susan Bones and Luna Lovegood. Six of the seven students that had taken Hogwarts by storm in the last few years. Before yesterday, she would have named them as brilliant but misguided. Troublemakers, the lot of them.

Not now.

No. If anyone were to classify the assortment of third and fourth year pupils now… well…

Shaking her head from such thoughts, Minerva held her head high as she looked directly at each of them. Sighing, she idly wondered if Albus was hidden somewhere in the room, watching.

"I know that each of you is wondering why I have requested…"

"Professor McGonagall," Hermione interrupted suddenly, her face flushed at possibly cutting her Head of House off. "How is Haley? No one will tell us anything." A chorus of agreements met Miss Granger's outburst, each student calling for answers.

It was behavior that she would never tolerate in her classroom, but at the moment, couldn't find it within herself to admonish the girl. It had already been reported to her that all of the fourth year girls had sat on Miss Potter's bed last night, waiting for their missing dorm mate to return. "Miss Granger. Please. I am trying to fill you in on what I can."

She watched, as everyone seemed to calm down for the moment at the least. "As I was saying…" Hermione had the grace to flush brightly. "You have each been brought here to be told first about the events over the past night, as well as to some of the plans for the immediate future."

When no one made a move to say anything, she continued. "There is so much that I feel you are entitled to know, the truth of what occurred when Miss Potter was portkeyed out of the Tournament, but that decision is not mine, nor is the tale one that I have the right to explain."

"Then what…"

She smiled at the Bones girl. A true Hufflepuff.

"You-Know-Who returned last night." Minerva forced herself to ignore the gasps. "Miss Potter was forced to participate in the ritual that brought about his return."

Ronald Weasley stood up and began to pace. "What do you mean by forced?"

Minerva pursed her lips. She couldn't answer, no matter how much her heart told otherwise. Involuntarily, her gaze flickered to the girls in the room. She didn't consider it much of a tell, but Miss Lovegood suddenly gasped, her hand reaching out to Miss Weasley's. It was enough that both Miss Bones and Miss Granger also suddenly paled… the implication of the unspoken now louder than any scream could generate.

Ignoring the looks that the young women now exchanged, the two boys oblivious, she continued. "The Headmaster has decided that until Miss Potter… Haley… has a chance to come to grips with the events, not to mention enough time to heal, she will be moved to a safe location."

"Away from the Dursley's?" Ron stopped and looked at her. "Can she come to the Burrow? For the whole summer rather than just the last week or so."

Professor McGonagall shook her head. "I'm afraid this will go beyond just this summer, Mister Weasley. The Headmaster is convinced, and Miss Potter's guardian agrees, that her safety and well-being is paramount. I'm afraid that she will be away for some time."

"What do you mean by away?" Ginny Weasley asked, her grip on Miss Lovegood's hand tightening. "She still has exams before the summer hols. And we'll see her at school next year, right?"

"Haley's leaving, isn't she?" Luna said sadly. "They're sending her away. In hiding."

"Yes." Minerva agreed.

"But we can say goodbye. Let her know that we want her to be okay, can't we?" Hermione's voice was almost pleading. "I need… w-we have to be allowed to see her…"

The Transfiguration Professor sighed. "I'm sorry, Miss Gran-Hermione."

Both Ginny and Neville stood to join her brother, each of them clearly moving towards the door to leave, while Susan Bones and Luna Lovegood both burst into tears.

"I'm afraid it is already too late." Her words stopped the three from leaving. "Miss Potter was removed from the infirmary this morning. Her things were picked up by Auror Tonks the moment you all came here to meet with me."

The drop in spirits was almost tangible. "At dinner tonight, the Headmaster will address all four Houses, to explain as much as he can, although the fate of Miss Potter will not be mentioned." When she saw that she had all six students' attention, she continued. "You six are the only students to be told of what is going on."

When no one said anything more, Minerva blinked back the tears that she knew were threatening to fall. "I am so sorry… to each of you. We, the staff and other adults, have failed each of you… Miss Potter most of all."

"Will she come back?" Ron's voice was small.

She shrugged. An undignified motion, but there was little else. "I don't know, Mister Weasley. I really just do not know…"

END CHAPTER ONE

…oooOOOooo…

END NOTES: The next two chapters are going to be fairly easy. The first will continue away from Haley as we get a summary of everyone's lives without the influence of the Girl-Who-Lived. I think the date will be August 31, 1996. The second will be a recounting of Haley's tale from waking up and then being taken away from her friends. This means that all of fifth year at Hogwarts will be told in flashbacks, with everyone reuniting on the Express headed off for their Sixth Year.

I hope you liked it all.

Please review.


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